5/27/10
I came to Christ Chapel in my early 20’s (1999). That makes me sound really old now. HA! I had been living in Georgia for only a few years and I knew almost no one. Several times a day I would think of how lonely I felt, wondering what I had gotten myself into and if there was hope of a happy future.
I had grown up in church my whole life but had never grown in my understanding of God’s Word, His promises, His faithfulness, or His perfect plan for me. It has been at Christ Chapel as an attendee, a worship leader, and a student of God’s Word that I have come to see that the joy unspeakable that is promised to me is mine, given to me at salvation. My present day status is as someone who knows the nearness of God on a daily basis and trusts him for a future that holds the most beautiful days of my life!
I’ve seen many of those beautiful days already. In 2003 I married Bryan Nichols, who I had met at Christ Chapel a few years before. This marriage added 2 wonderful stepdaughters to my life, Heather and Morgan. In 2005 we had our first child, Chloe and in 2007, our second, Landon.
Leading worship at Christ Chapel has been full of rewards over the years.
Reward #1: Family
Most of my family lives in the northern states, many miles away. God’s will was to develop a team that supported and loved one another. They have done a wonderful job of being my family. Although I have many brothers in my Christian family, 2 stand out to me: Mark Brown and Jason Scott – my bros!
Reward #2: Growth
I am naturally scared to death of crowds and personal attention. You can only imagine what has had to take place in me so that I could lead from the stage at SportsTowne. Please, all attention on God. He has led me every step of the way, encouraging me through His Word, and through people who recognized His work in me. Leading anything will change you, being willing to do whatever it takes for His glory, despite fear, will kill you (in a good way). I’m so glad God is doing this work in me so that I will one day lead in complete faith and confidence in Him!
Reward #3: The Church
1. My team. Ok, when I started leading I was just a singer, and an average one at that. I had taken some piano lessons as a child, but I hear songs for the lyrics and the melody and harmonies, not for the cool drum beat. God’s will was for me to grow with musicians that would give me space to learn and would respect me enough to follow me.
Now – we are almost 150 strong in a community of musicians throughout middle GA who currently play at one of our campuses or have played with us and still enjoy a healthy relationship with our teams. Go God!
2. The congregation. I’ve seen crossed arms, angry faces, and coldness. I’ve seen weeping, kneeling, and great joy. No one comes into God’s presence in the same way and none of us respond to His presence in quite the same way. But worshipping with His people is beautiful! When there are new signs of tenderness in an individual or a song connects with the entire church and I see that God works with each one of us and with the whole, I feel blessed to witness God’s goodness in His Church.
Reward #4: Him
God is inside me, all around me, in my blood, my heart, my thoughts, everything. I got HIM! I got the biggest, greatest treasure that is offered. I know that I would have settled for the worthless things; being known, hearing how great a voice I had, knowing I was doing the “right thing”. I would have had those things and I would have been more miserable than if I had never started. God didn’t want me to settle for those things so he gave me a verse in October 2007, Psalm 119:37, “Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through Your Word.” He has not withheld any good thing from me and I have a life that is growing every day with expectancy, passion, and desperation for Him. He gave me everything and I take it. I want it all!
Reward #5: Staff team
I work with people that I really like. I am a porcupine to some of them and they are to me. But, and this is hard to believe, grace, love, and loyalty are actually practiced at Christ Chapel. Why not just pull the quill out, put some ointment on it and move on? Most of the time we do and because of it, we can work pretty well together. God has a brilliant plan for his church and has laid it out pretty clearly in Ephesians 4, something about unity. Things go better when we adhere to His Word. Love it!
Whatever I can do to best serve my King, I will do. My home will be a witness to His goodness. My marriage will be a witness to His goodness. All for the glory of the one who chose me to receive this goodness. I owe Him everything!
LeAnn's photo album